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ROBBINSVILLE: Officials discuss term limits

Township officials could decide to rescind term limits for advisory boards in Robbinsville.

by James McEvoy, Managing Editor
ROBBINSVILLE — Township officials could decide to rescind term limits for advisory boards in Robbinsville.
   The Township Council introduced an ordinance at the Dec. 13 meeting, which if adopted, would rescind a 2006 ordinance that established limits of two terms or eight years, whichever would be greater.
   The change would impact advisory committees including the Cultural Arts Advisory Committee, the Economic Development Advisory Committee, the Open Space Advisory Committee, the Recreation Advisory Committee, Senior Citizens Advisory Committee, Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and Library Advisory Committee.
   Also impacted would be statutory boards or commissions including the Environmental Commission, Local Board of Health, Planning Board and the Zoning Board.
   According to township officials, the mayor, with council consent, appoints the advisory committee members, whereas the Environmental Commission and Planning Board members are appointed by the mayor while the Township Council appoints members of the Zoning Board.
   Councilman Dave Boyne was the lone dissenter against introducing the ordinance, as both he and Councilwoman Sheree S. McGowan preferred a council override as opposed to rescinding limits.
   ”My concern with eliminating it totally is (that) everybody kind of stays on forever,” Councilwoman McGowan said, noting she would like to see a super majority vote necessary for the override.
   ”It’s a good compromise. It’s the best of both worlds in a way,” she said. “It lets you do what needs to be done in cases where it needs to be, but it’s not a blanket thing either.”
   She further noted that sometimes change is good and that occasionally a new perspective can help an advisory board.
   Council Vice President Vince Calcagno said the matter was brought up as members of some of the advisory committees were reaching the end of their terms.
   ”We’re starting to see some people hit that limit now and I just think it was necessary to propose to get these term limits out,” Mr. Calcagno said. “It’s starting to cause some problems with some people who have long-term members of boards in a volunteering capacity who would like to go past (the limits).”
   Councilwoman Christine Ciaccio supported the proposed ordinance, saying that members of the council can still gauge the performance and abilities of those whose limits are coming up.
   Council President Ron Witt said turnover of underperforming members of committees would likely be spurred by feedback provided by board or commission leadership when a given member’s term is up.
   Mark Roselli, township attorney, said he was concerned that an override system in which members of the governing body served as arbitrators of sorts when terms came up could be viewed as arbitrary.
   ”Any time the council’s involved in a decision as to whose term should be extended and whose term is not by definition it’s going to be arbitrary,” Mr. Roselli said, using the example of two members of a board whose terms were up at the same time.
   ”You’re put in a situation where there’s no objective criteria once by which you’re making that decision to extend the term or not,” he said. “Public boards by definition aren’t supposed to act in arbitrary manner, and I think that’s the danger of where you’re giving yourself that authority to make the determination of whose term is extended or not.”
   Removing the term limits, in his opinion, would make decisions more of an “apples to apples” equation.
   He also noted imposing the term limits could be a factor impeding efforts go garner volunteers for the various boards and committees.
   A public hearing, after which the council could formally adopt the measure, is scheduled for the Dec. 26 meeting.